Edwards Clan
by Greenaway
Summary: FOR 18 YEARS AND OLDER!YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!Edward is the head of "The Clan" a group of assassins, but has become jaded to life. What happens when he meets a brown eyed girl who shakes his beliefs to the core? What will Carlisle say of the distraction?A/H
1. First Impressions are Forever

**Authors Note:**

**I do not own twilight or any of the characters and make no claim to. All things twilight are property of Stephanie Meyer. **

**DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE OFFENDED BY THE SUBJECT OF RAPE, VIOLENCE OR SEX. THERE WILL BE PLENTIFUL QUANTITIES OF ALL IN THIS STORY AND I DON'T WANT PEOPLE PISSED OFF AT ME CAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE THE SUBJECT MATTER. IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT STOP READING NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
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**This is my FIRST fanfic, so PLEASE be kind. I don't mind (and in fact encourage) CONSTRUCTIVE criticism, but flamers and the likes can bugger off now, as I ain't interested. If you can't be polite don't bother reviewing.**

**Thank you to all who take the time to read this. I hope to update AT LEAST once a week but I make no promises. I have two children under the age of five and a husband who require my attention also. **

**So, on that note, I shall shut the hell up and throw myself upon your mercy. Please be gentle, it's my first time!!! LOL!!!**

**P.S. As I am not an assassin, I have never left New Zealand, nor own an arsenal of weapons, (PLUS this IS fiction) any mistakes I make I hope you get a good laugh over.**

**Thanks**

**Greenaway  
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**EPOV**

I sat in my chair in the corner of the room watching the disgusting displays that surrounded me. The scum of mankind were happily drinking and mixing in my home, and the worst part was: They were MY scum. My name is Edward Cullen, I am twenty-seven years old and I am the leader of "The Clan".

My father Carlisle was the founder of The Clan and he built it to what it is today. The police fear us, politicians pay for our good favour and the richest and most powerful of society, well they pay us to "eliminate" their problems. We are the best and most feared at what we do. We are assassins.

My father spent my entire life training me to take over leadership of The Clan. I received extensive combat training as well firearm and hand to hand weapons training. My body has been conditioned to function on minimal sleep, food and hydration. My pain tolerance is well beyond that of a regular man, and I have the scars to prove it. I have numerous degrees and am fluent in more than ten different languages. From the moment, I could walk my father has molded me into the man I am today. When he decided to retire seven years ago, he handed the reins over to me, and since then The Clan has only blossomed and thrived. My father was able to go back to his first love: medicine and is now our resident doctor.

My mother Esme hates this life and is happier when she can pretend that we are a normal, all-american family. Her obtuse demeanour aggravates me (We have never been close, she despises me really and the feeling is quite mutual), but my father indulges her and so must we all. I may be the head of The Clan, but as long as Carlisle Cullen is breathing he is still head of the Cullen family. My younger sister Alice is my right hand "man" so to speak and I trust her with my life. She is brilliant, shrewd, loving, cunning and most assuredly dangerous. Her small stature and sprightly features are disarming to her true nature: Alice is a woman not to be reckoned with. My protection alone ensures her safety, but disregarding that, Alice is more than capable of looking after herself. She runs the business end of The Clan, and while I NEVER allow her to take on a contract, I entrust her with all financial and organisational needs of The Clan. Put simply, Alice is my best friend.

Tonight's get together is in "honor" of our new truce with the Volturi. The Volturi have been a thorn in our side since the beginning and it is only due to the tireless diplomacy of Alice that there is a truce at all. She has convinced Aro, the leader of the Volturi that instead of competing against each other it would be mutually beneficial to adhere to a truce. Translation: you stop trying to kill us and we will stop trying to kill you. I would rather have had the pleasure of gutting Aro like the pig that he is, but Alice assures me this is the best way. You learn quick not to bet against Alice.

A half naked woman runs past me with a member of the Volturi chasing after her playfully. I grimace in disgust. God, what I wouldn't give to be able to leave, but alas, as long as Aro holds his place across the room, I am unable to leave mine. Just another pissing match between two of the most dangerous men on the globe. Another day in my life.

A drink is thrust into my hand and I look up into Jasper's smirking face. He knows how much I hate these things. Jasper is Alice's husband and one of my best friends. Who am I kidding? I have only two people that I regard as friends: Jasper and Emmett. Jasper is my highest ranking Clansman, and one of the best assassins I have seen. Death comes quickly to those caught in Jasper's cross hairs. He is a deadly creature, with a penchant for killing with one of his extensive collection of knives. More personal, he says. He is a ruthless, cold-blooded killer.

My father took Jasper in when he was just a small boy and also trained him for his place: my second in command. What nobody was prepared for was the hurricane that Alice would turn out to be. To say my father was unhappy to have his little girl join this life in such a high ranking capacity would be the understatement of the century, just as it would be another huge understatement that he was furious to find that Jasper and Alice had been secretly seeing each other since they were thirteen. Jasper then forever sealed my father's bad opinion of him when they ran off together six years ago and eloped, returning as Mr & Mrs Jasper Whitlock. Carlisle's baby girl had just turned eighteen. Lucky for Jasper I was head of The Clan by then and he didn't leave in his own personally embroidered body bag. Carlisle may hate Jasper for stealing his baby girl away and blame him for her involvement in this life, but I knew better. Jasper never stood a chance. From the moment seven year old Jasper arrived in our lives, Alice has been his constant shadow. And he has never once spoken to her with anything other than love and respect. Most ten year old boys would hate having a six year old girl with pigtails following them wherever they went but not Jasper. It was instant mutual adoration.

"Is Emmett back from Prague yet?" I ask Jasper quietly, and even though the music is deafening, he can still hear me clearly.

"No, not yet. He has called in though. The target has been eliminated and Alice has confirmed the money has been wired. The client is happy." He answered.

Emmett is the third to our little trio of brothers. I met Emmett in college when I came across him being held by about five burly line-backers (It takes five men to hold Emmett. The man is HUGE) while their friends went to work on Emmett's then fiance, Rosalie. I was silent and swift as I broke the necks of the two men raping Rose, giving Emmett the advantage he needed to break free of the other five. Together we had killed them in less than a minute. We became inseparable from then on, and strangely enough, Carlisle took a great liking to my bear of a brother and the beautiful Rose. They moved in with me and my family and the rest, as they say, is history.

I looked up at Jasper who was swirling the contents of his own glass thoughtfully. I rolled my eyes, I knew that look. Something was on his mind, and I would bet money on it that I wouldn't like what he had to say.

"Spit it out Jasper." He looked up from his glass, his icy blue eyes boring into mine.

"It's Jacob" He stated flatly.

Well, no surprises there. Jacob had been a disappointment from the word go. I had recruited him from the marines. He had an outstanding track record and was eager to join The Clan when I approached him, but he lacked the patience for this line of work. I had hoped he would learn over time but so far all he had done is lost what little patience _I _ had for _him_. Our line of work requires subtlety over all. We are silent killers not soldiers.

The sound of shattering glass, drew my attention from my own musings, and I looked over to the cause of the ruckus. No surprises, as I said.

_Jacob_.

I looked at Jasper, who just sighed and shook his head. Jacob was more work than he was worth. Unfortunately for him, once you joined The Clan, there was only one way to leave and it was a permanent way.

Jacob was standing over someone, but I couldn't see who from my vantage point. Then a woman's scream cut through the noise of the music and people, and I was out of my chair before I even made the conscious decision to do so. Jacob grabbed the woman's arm and pulled her from the floor when he had obviously thrown her not but a minute before. Her deep brown eyes stared up at him in the most profound terror that I had ever seen grace a human face before. And that's saying a lot, I'm an assassin remember? I've seen fear in men's eyes, but this eclipses them all.

Jacob snarled down at her and struck her across the face before taking his cigarette and holding it to her arm. Her screams intensified and tears of pure agony streaked down her beautiful creamy cheeks. I saw red. There is no other way to describe it. A blinding red haze covered my vision and all I could see was Jacob.

Jacob.

Jacob must die.

In that moment Jacob became my target.

I crossed the room quickly, focused on my prey. I passed Aro's table and didn't even spare him a glance. Perhaps I should of. In retrospect, if I had seen the calculating look in his eyes and the satisfied smirk slowly spreading across his face, maybe I would have reacted differently. Maybe we could all have avoided the shit storm that came at us later. But hindsight is a luxury rarely afforded and this situation was no different. My greatest enemy found a weakness in me.

Shit.

I reached Jacob and pulled him off the terrified girl and threw him to the floor. I pinned him down and he looked at me in fear.

He was right to be afraid.

"Do you like torture Jacob?" I hissed. He tried to form words but his mouth just gaped open like a fish. The woman was sobbing behind me, and I heard Alice's quiet voice as she murmured to her words of comfort and reassurance. Alice pulled her from the floor and lead her through the back doors, taking her to the main house. all of this just barely registered in my peripheral.

I was a man given over to his baser rage.

Jasper came up beside me, and handed me his lit cigarette. He knew what I intended to do without me needing to breathe a word. I brought the cigarette forward and held the burning tip above Jacob's left eye. He began to shudder and shake beneath me, begging me for mercy. I didn't answer him. There was no need. Instead I crushed the cigarette into his eye and smelt the burning stench. Jacob screamed and flailed beneath me, but I didn't let him shake me off.

His screams delighted me, and I briefly wondered why. I was _enjoying_ this. Huh? From the moment I heard the girl scream and saw her beautiful face marred with tears and fear, I was filled with blood lust and rage. I would kill whoever brought such an angel to tears. I would kill the demon who _dared_ to touch her. I was the only one who should be touching her, not a filthy mutt like Jacob.

_Where the fuck did that come from? _I wondered to myself. I didn't even know this girl's name and I might have well walked up to her and cocked my leg to piss on her. I felt protective and possessive all at the same time. My head was a mass of confusion, and the blood lust/rage ruled my body. I looked down at the whimpering man beneath me.

"Oh Jacob, you don't look like you're having fun any more." I stated mockingly. His breathing was unsteady and coming in quick rasps. Jasper chuckled quietly beside me.

Suddenly, I heard Alice's high heels clacking across the floor towards us. I never looked up at her (rule number one: NEVER take your eyes off your adversary. Unless you are feeling suicidal.) She didn't pause, instead her fist came flying down and connected with Jacob's nose, shattering it and spraying blood everywhere. I stood up and motioned for Jasper to pick Jacob up and restrain him. Once Jasper had Jacob's arms locked behind his back, I looked into my furious sister's face. Her raging green eyes met mine. I silently questioned her actions with a raise of one eyebrow.

"This _PIG_ doesn't deserve to live Edward. Kill him now or by all that's holy, I swear I will." Alice fumed, her face turning several shades of red as she cradled her rapidly swelling fist to her chest.

"What is this all about Alice?" Jasper drawled from behind Jacob in his deep southern voice. Normally Alice would swoon at the sound of her husband's southern accent, but not now. Now she barely even registered he was there. She must be livid, I had never seen her so angry before.

Alice thrust her finger into Jacob's face

"He doesn't deserve to be breathing! Bella is lucky to be alive! Not only is her body covered, and I mean COVERED, in bruises and abrasions, he's been forcing drugs on her and raping her! You know where he met her Edward? Ireland. He met her in fucking Ireland Edward and FORCED her to come back here with him. When she refused, he went to her house and shot both of her parents dead! She has NO ONE NOW!" Alice was screaming now.

Fuck. Ireland. Goddammit to fucking hell, why did I ever bring Jacob into The Clan?

I had sent him to take care of a simple contract in Ireland. We were being paid twenty million dollars by the British government to silence a new rising head of the IRA. Jacob had completed his task and then been ordered to return straight home. Apparently he didn't listen, and took a detour. A public detour. Exposure was one thing that I could not allow and The Clan could ill-afford. I glared at Jacob.

"Is this true?" I asked coldly. He nodded at me weakly. Jacob may have been reckless, but he wasn't stupid. He knew better than to lie to me. Death was a forgone conclusion now, and he knew it. The only question was _how_ he died.

I took Alice carefully by her elbow and turned her with me and began walking towards the door. I glanced over my shoulder at Jasper and nodded. He returned the nod and began pulling a struggling Jacob out through the opposite door. Jacob was a dead man.

Alice and I exited the party and made our way across the lawn to the main house. She was still breathing heavily, trying to calm herself.

"Alice, I don't understand. What has you so angry? You don't even know this girl." I asked her quietly. Alice was a kind and caring person by nature, but this was extreme, even for her.

"I don't know Edward, I can't describe it. You'll get it when you meet her. She just seems so fragile and lost. I want to protect her." Alice answered, clearly frustrated at her own feelings. I put my arm around her shoulders and pulled her into my side.

"I doubt that Ali-phant" I used her nickname I gave her when she was seven. Alice had developed an unnatural obsession with Elephants. The number of times she dragged the family to the zoo had Carlisle seriously considering buying her her own damned elephant. She looked up at me a smirk suddenly gracing her tiny face. She was not buying my indifferent bullshit for a second. She always saw straight through me.

"Oh, we will see, dear brother, we will see. I have a feeling that Bella is going to change _all_ our lives.".


	2. AUTHORS NOTE PLEASE READ

**27th February 2010 – Author's Note**

I never wanted to write one of these.... LOL.

I had an email in my inbox from . They asked me to remove the chapters from Edward's Clan that were offensive and I have complied.

This story will now be posted on The Writer's Coffee Shop Library website and the link is on my profile page. I am editing Edward's Clan and am up to Chapter four over at TWCSL. I don't anticipate that it will take too long to edit the other chapters, thankfully my writing improved a little as I went on! LOL

I will be posting Chapter 24 here on Fanfiction as well, but it will be the last one that gets posted here.

I want to thank everyone who read and reviewed this story. I am a little sad to be leaving fanfiction, but I am also excited to be moving onto The Writer's Coffee Shop Library. It is a pretty fucking kick ass site to be honest, I'm pretty smitten with it. LOL

So finally, the next chapter will be posted later tonight and thank you once again. I hope to see you over at TWCSL, my screen name remains the same and there is the link on my fanfiction profile, so you have no real excuse.......

LOL

Kindest, most heartfelt and sincere regards  
Greenaway


	3. Chapter 24 I Would Die For You

**Author's Note:**

**I don't own Twilight, Stephanie Meyer does.**

**WARNINGS: VIOLENCE, UNPLEASANT THEMES AND OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE. **

****IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!****

**Ok, I have a bit of news, so please stick with me for a moment....**

***My apologies for the delay. It will not be so long between updates again and I will be back to my regular updates now. Edward's Clan is Number One on my writing priority list. I want to thank all of you who have been so patient with me.**

***This will be the last chapter that is posted on Fanfiction. Fanfiction have sent me an email asking me to take down the offensive chapters and I have. I have made the decision to post Edward's Clan and all the outtakes on The Writers Coffee Shop Library. I like the set up and the people over there are very kind and welcoming. Plus, I can put photos up with each chapter and I REALLY like that.... I'll stop rambling now. I am reposting Edward's Clan over there with edits made to the first chapters. It doesn't change any of the plot, but it fixes the glaring errors that plague me every time I look back at it. LOL. So to summarise, if you want to continue reading Edward's Clan, The Writer's Coffee Shop Library is where it will be posted. I will put a link up on my profile page. Note: One lovely person sent me an email warning me there are hoax emails floating around too. If that's the case, then I am extra glad to be going over to TWCSL. Who has time to deal with bullshit like that??? **

****VERY IMPORTANT**I am stating here and now that as flattering as requests to use parts of the Edward's Clan story are, I will NOT now or ever give permission for it to be used or reproduced in any way. I have put a lot of time, energy and effort into this story so please respect that. Bottom line; you may love the Felix torture scene or when Edward nearly kills his Dad and that's wonderful. Just don't steal it please. Thank you for understanding and I'm sure all the other author's out there will agree.**

**I have a story I want to plug. It is freaking AWESOME. Now, I love me a fucked up kinda tale and the Volturi Order by Footroza and TheSpoiltOne on The Writer's Coffee Shop site is JUST my kind of story. Creepy, dark and oh so twisted. Go read and review, it is SO worth it. Trust me.**

**PLAYLIST: **

***Dig – Incubus (Thanks to my wonderful sister-in-law who gave me this song and checked this chapter. Cheers girly!)**

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**Edward POV**

_From where we left off in Chapter 23 – My December:_

_"I would never hurt you Edward." Bella brushed her lips across mine "You __can__ trust me."_

_"I know." I breathed leaning my forehead against hers. I took a deep breath_

_"That's why I want you to marry me."_

_She froze and I did too. She pulled her head back gently, her eyes searching mine for something._

_The silence was too long and I felt the need to speak and break the tension that she must surely have felt as well. I opened my mouth to speak but she clapped her hands over it. I raised an eyebrow at her._

_"You want to marry me? Is marriage even __important__ to you? I mean…… I want to know why you are doing this." She asked and I felt a tiny ball of fear begin to form in the pit of my stomach. Weren't women supposed to say 'yes' to proposals from the men they loved? I tried not to show my fear as I spoke._

_"Ok. But let's talk inside." I put her down gently and moved to the door opening it swiftly and standing aside for her to enter. I locked the door after I entered and began a thorough inspection of the penthouse, keeping Bella behind me as I did. I checked every cupboard or crawl space, anywhere where a person could hide. When it came up clean, I led her into the Japanese decorated lounge. We sat down next to each other on the couch and I felt my fingers wanting to move and... __fidget__._

_I couldn't remember the last time I had felt this fucking nervous._

_"Edward. Why do you __want__ to marry me?" She asked, taking my hand and drawings soothing patterns on the back of it. She seemed to recognise that the conversation would take me into some uncomfortable territory and was trying to put me at ease. I was by no means comfortable, but I felt I could tolerate it._

_I took a deep breath..........._

**Edward POV (Chapter 24 Begins) **

"Because you make me feel alive. Because I trust you. Because I love you, fuck Bella, what do you want me to say here? Aren't you supposed to go all weepy and throw yourself into my arms?" I asked as I ran a hand through my hair nervously. Something was expected of me, I had no idea exactly what the fuck that was and it made me anxious as hell. Could I fucking blow this simply because I didn't know how to propose to a woman? I hoped that not even _I_ could be that fucked up.

Bella smiled sympathetically at me. "It's ok Edward. I just want to make sure that this is something you want and not just something you feel you have to do for me. You really don't seem like the marriage type to be honest."

I had to chuckle at that. No, I wasn't your prize catch or ideal son in law. I was a criminal by the standards of those outside my world. I was to be avoided and treated with extreme caution, like an explosive ready to go off at the slightest movement.

"To be honest, I'm not. Or I wasn't anyway. But this is something that I assume is important to you? Alice and Rosalie seem to place a lot of value in the institution of marriage, so I thought you might too. If so; it's important to you, so it's important to me. _You_ are important to me." I picked up one of her hands and kissed it softly. "This is what I want Bella." I fought down the nerves threatening to break through my carefully schooled face. The horrible churning I was feeling in the pit of my stomach was _not_ going to show. I was better than this; I had been trained to keep my fucking composure in tense situations.....

She leaned forward, her hands resting on my knees. "_You_ are important to me Edward. Yes, I would _like_ to get married, but I don't _need_ it. I just need you...." She trailed off, her voice sounding small and exposed. I reached forward and brushed her hair behind her ear. She was preparing to sacrifice _more_ for a life with me. I couldn't allow that...

"Let me give this to you. Please." I asked as I stared into her eyes. My fingers moved to the soft skin of her cheek and down to her jaw. "Living this life with me will take things away from you. I can't help that and I know I should feel much guiltier than I do, but _this_ is something I _can_ give you. Let me do that."

Her eyes searched mine, for what I did not know, but whatever it was she was searching for she found. A smile lit up her face and she threw herself the short distance into my lap.

"Yes, YES! A million times yes!" She screamed exaggeratedly before breaking into giggles "Was that a better response?"

I growled at her warped sense of humour. She was taking the fucking piss. At a moment like this.

"No. Are you just fucking around or are you serious?" I still didn't know if I should be celebrating or trying to find someone to kill just to feel better. She tossed her head back and laughed before looking at me, her face glowing and alive.

"That would be a yes Edward. A one hundred percent, definite, resolute _yes_. I would love to be able to call myself your wife."

Those were the words I wanted to hear and yet, I couldn't move. I actually couldn't fucking move. All the voices inside my head were screaming at my body for dominance, but it wasn't responding to any of them.

_She's looking at you moron. Are you going to fucking speak?_

I wanted to yell at the demon that my inability to move wasn't from a lack of trying on my part.... my fucking body just wouldn't move.

"Edward? Did you want me to say no?" Bella asked with an amused smirk. I narrowed my eyes at her and heaved a mental sigh of relief as I began to regain the simple control of my limbs.

I moved us so that we were both lying down, with her on top of me. She propped her hands on my chest and stared at me.

"I want to marry you Edward." She said softly, seriously. I smiled at her.

She said yes. I felt, _happy_ almost fucking _elated_ even. Her own smile softened at the look on my face and she leaned down to kiss my chest, sending shivers all the way through me. She always did, but now it was more intense. Knowing that she would be mine in all ways, it thrilled me. I was so wrapped up in my own happy fucking bubble; I nearly didn't hear her speak.

"So, does this mean we will be moving out of Carlisle's Creepy Castle?" Her tone was a little bitter and I couldn't really blame her. Life at Cullen Estate had not gotten any easier for her and I knew she had been taking to spending more and more time at Carmen and Eleazar's when I wasn't around. It wasn't right that she felt so uncomfortable in her own home. Make no mistake; her home was exactly what Cullen Estate had become to her. It was her home because I was there, because I needed to be there...

Before Bella, there had been nothing for me outside its walls. It was such a huge part of me and I couldn't let it go.

I looked into her deep brown eyes and prepared myself for the sting of her disappointment.

"No. We... _I_ can't leave there. The Clan will always be a part of my life Bella and wherever they are, I am too. They are my family, all of them. I can't leave them."

There was a long pause and I began to wonder if perhaps this was a deal breaker on her part. I loved her, and God knows, I knew I couldn't live without her, but I couldn't destroy the lives of so many people for my own selfishness. When she finally spoke her voice was serious

"Then I can't leave either."

I allowed myself a small smile. Her generosity and kindness knew no bounds, but then neither did my selfishness. How much would I let her give and I greedily accept before enough was enough? "Really?" I asked, my voice brimming with hope.

She smirked at me "Really."

We talked a bit more and decided that our wedding would not be a huge affair. Neither of us craved the spotlight and a small ceremony at the Estate was agreed upon. We both recognised a honeymoon was out of the question until the 'issue' with The Volturi had been rectified.

"Your father isn't going to be happy." She said a little nervously, biting her lip. I smiled sadly and brushed my thumb against her cheek

"He will cope. He has no choice." I wasn't prepared to let him destroy this for me.

My entire life, I had known I wasn't normal. I had minimal interaction with other children and the peers of my respective age group (other than Jazz and Alice) but I never once felt deprived. My father had been preparing me for what would become my life. I couldn't fault him for trying to do the best for me, so I never worried when I saw the other kids my age doing the things I would never do. Baseball, girlfriends, after school jobs.... None of those things had ever been mine. I had never gone to a prom, never picked a girl up from her house, under the watchful eyes of her disapproving father.

I had thought I would never marry or have anyone, so I hadn't wasted time lamenting something that wasn't meant to be. I had trained harder, studied harder. I had made my father proud.

I understood what Carlisle had been trying to do so I never fought him on it. But Bella was different. She was mine. I had never asked for anything from my own life, it had belonged to The Clan and it was accepted. But Bella was _mine_. I wasn't standing up and asking for something, I was fucking demanding outright. I wouldn't let him take her from me. I knew when he found out about our impending nuptials there would be hell. I knew, but I didn't care. I wasn't going to lose what I had with her.

He wasn't going to take _this_ away from me.

_God, would you like a fucking tissue princess? Poor me, poor. Little. Old. Fucking. Me. Why don't you go and down a fucking hard pill? _

I ignore the sarcastic voice of the demon

"Well, I suppose if we give him some grandchildren fast, then he might get distracted enough from his little fixation of trying to kill me." Bella said wryly, but I stilled.

Grandchildren. Babies. _Our_ babies. True, I had daydreamed about it before, but the notion of being _married _and a _father_ all at once?

Fucking _terrified_ me. I took a sharp breath and stared at her.

She looked at me knowingly "It's ok Edward. I was joking. I really don't think either of us is in the right place for parenthood."

"But it's something you want." I stated it as a fact, I didn't ask. Somehow I knew this would be important to her. It would mean something to her. I got that. I just didn't know what it meant to me.

"Someday. When it's what we _both_ want." She corrected. I ran my hand through my hair.

Would I ever be ready for fatherhood? How did one even prepare for such a thing? Would I raise my son the same way I had been raised? Would my daughter grow up in this life like Alice? Locked away for her own safety, always viewing the real world and its occupants with envy? Would my daughter miss out on having girlfriends to confide in? Would she be left with the poor substitute of a brother as a best friend as Alice had?

_A son? A daughter? When did we discuss ANY of this?? _

I ignored the questioning monster inside me. It had been getting easier and easier to do as of late. The image of two children, similar to both Bella and myself but unique in their individual beauty, filled my head.

Edward Cullen. Edward Cullen the father. Edward Cullen the assassin.

It didn't sound right to me.

Light fingers, caressing my own cheek this time, brought me back to reality and I caught Bella's face between my hands.

"I don't know if I could do that my love. I don't know _how_ to be a good parent. I.... My training didn't....." I began nervously, as the gravity of such a future rammed into me, causing every muscle into my body to tense. I heard my breathing increase.

She gripped my hands with her own.

"No one does Edward. They usually just do the best they can and more often than not, find themselves doing and saying the things their own parents did. Though in our cases, I think it would be safer that we just go with our gut."

I nodded stiffly, in agreement. My father taught me how to kill without a moment's hesitation, how to handle a gun and the art of torture. Was I prepared to teach my own son such things? Could I look into his eyes, when his face was covered in another's blood?

Did I want my boy to have to constantly fight the demon inside him?

_**Flashback**_

"_It's for your own good Edward. More than that, it's a fucking order and your job is not to question those orders, only carry them out. Now move, or I will __**make**__ you move."_

_I didn't want to do it. I hated that room. It was barely big enough to lie down in and that was when you were curled up. It was as uncomfortable as hell. It was made of cold, dark concrete and it was very old. There were cracks and holes, big enough for the rodents and insects to find their way in to me, but not big enough for my own escape. Not that I would have tried, just thinking about the' reprimand' I would receive was enough to put me off. _

_The last time I had been in the room, Carlisle had left me for three days. The walls had begun to close in, the dark swallowing me whole and leaving me with nothing but the re-occurring voice in my head. _

_I knew who it was. I knew __**what**__ it was. He told me, he didn't lie and he never sugar coated anything. He was a demon, a monster. _

_The darkness inside of me now had a voice._

_**Get in that fucking room. Jesus, afraid of the fucking dark.... This is embarrassing for us both.**_

_My legs began to move and I slowly made my way into the shadows. _

"_Four days this time Edward." And my father shut the door, the sound of a lock turning filling the small room._

_The rats came and I suffered a few nasty bites, but nothing life threatening. The insects were the worst, the sound of the cockroaches scuttling towards me, the feel of them running over my skin...... I thought I would go mad._

_Day and night or night and day.... I had no idea. They all became one long, endless nightmare. _

_Eventually, I gave up. I lay there in the dark, not even flinching when the rats became increasingly bold, due to my lack of movement. The cockroaches seemed attracted to my now hot and swollen bites, but still I stayed where I was. _

_Lack of food, lack of water. I was barely holding on. My dignity had long left me as I lay lying in my own waste. It wasn't about dignity anymore it was about survival._

_Survival that was starting to seem too hard to hold onto. _

_Carmen came to visit. She thought I didn't know she was there and I had no idea how she had sneaked past Carlisle and Eleazar, but she had. I heard her shuffling, the distinctive sound of her sandals scraping along the concrete floor. She sat down on the other side of the wall to me and stayed. I had counted out two hours in my head before I gave up. _

_She was still there, much better company than the rats. _

_I must have fallen asleep, because the next time I woke up, there was a blinding light shining on my face and I could taste the sweet flavour of fresh air._

"_Get up Edward. If you want food and water you have to walk for it. No one is going to carry you; no one is going to care if you fall. Get up and show me the kind of man my son is." My father's flat voice rang in my ears and I struggled to obey._

_I rose shakily, the hunger hitting me with full force and causing my stomach to twist painfully. I fell to my knees and began dry heaving while my father stood beside me silently. I expected no sympathy and knew I would receive none._

_When the retching had ceased, his icy voice cut through my misery, burning me with his disappointment._

"_Have you finished?" _

_I nodded and rose to my feet. I could barely see, my vision was unfocused and cloudy. I felt strange, almost as if I were floating along in space. _

_My father gave me a scowl before storming off ahead of me, shaking his head and muttering angrily. I knew I had disappointed him and I hated it._

_I hated __**myself **__for it. _

_A large hand clamped on my shoulder and if I hadn't been so weary, I probably would have jumped. I had no energy left to focus on my surroundings. _

_Another thing that would disappoint him. _

"_You did well Edward. You have much potential; he sees that and is merely helping you to recognise it. You are destined for great things boy. One day you will be a great leader just like your father."_

_Eleazar let go of my shoulder and began down the hallway that my father had just disappeared, leaving me alone. My knees began to shake and I contemplated just sinking to the floor and letting the exhaustion I felt win the battle, but I couldn't._

_I wouldn't fail him three times in one day. _

_I was Edward Cullen, son of Carlisle Cullen. I was destined for great things so I had to __**be**__ great. _

_One foot, then another, then another. That was how I followed them down that dark hallway; almost as dark as the prison I had been in for the last four days, the stench of my captivity billowing out from me._

_I tripped and stumbled, I fell into the walls, but I got back up each time and each time I did, I felt a little more deserving of the name Cullen. I felt more like the man my father wanted me to be......._

_**End Flashback**_

I thought of my life after my 'education and conditioning'. On reflection, my life seemed almost monotonous and bleak. There had been no light in my life and would I want to go back to that?

Was that how I saw life for my son? If I were conditioning him for this life, then I would want him to develop no attachments either. I would want nothing to jeopardise his safety.

Just like my own father wanted nothing to jeopardise mine.

If I brought my own son into a life of killing and solitude I would become the father that Carlisle was. I held no ill will towards Carlisle for his decisions in my upbringing, they were simply decisions I could not recreate with my own flesh and blood.

My son would become a better man than I. He would wouldn't stain his hands with the blood of a thousand men.

My daughter would have a life outside of an obscurity she didn't deserve. She would flourish and bloom, just like Alice should have.

I ran a hand through my hair sighing quietly. The current line of conversation was making me more and more agitated and uncomfortable. It sounded idealistic, but not very practical. There was no way I could give up The Clan. We had established that and yet, I could see no way to make the dream and the reality merge.

"Do we need to discuss this all now? I don't mind talking about our future, but can we limit it to things like whose making dinner or who left the wet towels on the floor?" I muttered in irritation.

Bella snorted and changed the subject immediately, sensing my unease.

"Uh, Zafrina makes dinner because none of you can be bothered cooking for yourselves and likewise with the picking up of the towels. All your swanky, expensive education and skills, yet none of you can work out how to use a washing machine."

I bristled at little at that, although I was more relieved than anything. The previous topic was all but forgotten.

"That's completely untrue. I'm sure I could work a washing machine if I tried. I just never have." I retorted. Bella arched an eyebrow at me.

"Do it then. Let's take a load of laundry downstairs. I assume there is a basement laundry room?"

I shook my head "No, if you can afford to live here you can afford to use the laundry service."

She gave me a filthy look and grumbled something about being rich and overpriviliged before grabbing a phone book from the nearby table and threw it at me.

"Well, I'm sure there is a Laundromat around here somewhere. Let's go there and you can prove me wrong. Or not." She finished tauntingly.

"I have nothing to prove to you and we have no dirty clothes. For fuck sake, we have only just arrived and then I proposed in the hallway. You took the piss for a bit and finished with a yes. Now you want to find a Laundromat so that you can watch me use a washing machine. God, say that out loud and you begin to realise just how fucking crazy you are Isabella Swan."

She narrowed her eyes as a smirk began to spread across her face. "Well, I'm not going to be a Swan for much longer am I? Soon it will be Isabella Cullen." The tip of her tongue flicked out between her rich, full lips, hypnotising me momentarily before it disappeared.

"Bella Cullen. I fucking love how that sounds." I said honestly and she blushed a brilliant shade of red. I ran my nose along her jaw line and inhaled "Forget the nonexistent laundry, I want you. Now." I whispered. She gasped, but her voice came almost immediately afterwards and it was surprisingly firm.

"Well, let's make a deal then. You prove you can use a washing machine, you get your own way yet again..."

"You know, you benefit a little too." I interjected as I kissed the hollow behind her ear and she shivered.

"Be that as it may, a little wager will make things interesting. If I win.."

"You won't win." I said firmly, kissing her again just to watch her shiver. She didn't disappoint and I chuckled.

"If I win..." she began again, albeit a little breathlessly. "Tomorrow is mine. We do everything I want, no questions asked, no complaining either."

I paused and buried my face into her neck with a smirk.

"Done. Lead me to the washing machines and prepare to be disappointed."

* * *

**Ok peoples, you know where to find Edward's Clan now, and I should have it all up to date within a week and then onto the next chapter. Thanks again **** Greenaway**


	4. FINAL AUTHORS NOTE FOR THIS SITE

**Author's Note:**

**Oh my gosh, the new chapter is done and will be posted in the next few days on The Writers Coffee Shop Library. I WILL NOT be posting Edward's Clan on any other site except TWCSL. There are a few reasons for this, but the main one is I like it over there and I have enormous respect for the site creators and administrators. When fanfiction began to pull fic after fic, TWCS gave people like me a place to go. I appreciate that more than they will ever know and I will stick with the site for as long as I continue to write Fan fiction. I will be posting no further notices on this site, so if you want to find me go to The Writers Coffee Shop Library **

**(http:/www(dot)thewriterscoffeeshop(dot)?uid=1036) replace the (dot). **

**It's where I will be...**

**Thanks everyone for following my story and for all your reviews and emails. You guys are awesomeness.**

**Greenaway**


	5. Authors Note The one that comes after

****Big news! By some strange occurrence, Edward's Clan has been nominated for a couple of Immortal Sin Awards! I don't know who nominated EC, but whoever it was... Gosh, I'm just speechless! Edward's Clan is up for "Asphyxiation by Abs: Best Darkmett" (That one REALLY surprised me) and "AH: Best All Human Dark Fic". So, I'm asking you to pop over to http:/darksper(.)blogspot(.)com/2010/09/presenting-immortal-sin-awards(.)html (take out the brackets) , click on the "Vote Here" button on the right hand side and take a look at the nominations. If you think Edward's Clan is the best in its respective categories, then vote away! I appreciate it my lovelies.****


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